This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Monday, 14 June 2010

The Night of Wishes, Laylat ar-Ragha'ib

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ
ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The
night of the first Friday of the month of Rajab is known to the angels as Laylat ar-Ragha’ib, the Night of the
Granting of Wishes. It is during this
night that is performed the swalah ar-ragha'ib,
a sunnah muthlaq. The Thursday night in question here, is
actually Friday by Muslim reckoning since we start the day from maghrib, or sunset.

The
angels call it thus because, by the time the first third of the night has
elapsed, there will not be a single angel still at large in the heavens, nor in
any region of the earth. They will all
be gathered together in the Ka’bah and the area immediately surrounding it. Allah (s.w.t.)
will Condescend to Notice that they have assembled there, and He will Say, “My
angels, ask Me for whatever you wish!”

Their
response to this will be, “Our Lord, the request we wish to make is that You Grant
Forgiveness to those who faithfully keep the fast in Rajab.”

Whereupon,
Allah (s.w.t.) will Tell them, “That
I have already done!”

Our
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “No
one will go unrewarded if he fasts during the daytime on Thursday, the first
Thursday in Rajab.”

In
the evening between maghrib and ‘isha’, perform twelve raka’at of prayer, two raka’at at a time. In each rak’ah
recite as follows:

Surah
al-Fatihah x 1

Surah
al-Qadr x 3

Surah
al-Ikhlasw x 12

After
the twelve raka’at are over, recite as
follows, seventy times each.